Apparatus for checking circuit continuity and identifying wires



1949 c. R. PARMENTER 88,

APPARATUS FOR CHECKING CIRCUIT CONTINUI'IY AND IDENTIFYING WIRES Filed Jan. 8, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F i TRANSMITTING UNIT 23 v INVENTOR CHARLES H. PAEMENTEH BY Wa ATTORNEY NOV. 22, 1949 Q R PARMENTER 2,488,556

APPARATUS FOR CHECKING CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND IDENTIFYING WIRES Filed Jan. 8. 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FI Q E RECEIVING UNIT (Q Q q? INVENTOR BY W ATTORNEY CHARLES Fr, FAHMENTE'H Nov. 22, 1949 a c. R. PARMENTER 2,438,556

APPARATUS FOR CHECKING CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND IDENTIFYING WIRES Filed Jan. 8. 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F I g 5' TRANSMITTING UNiT SI 5 I l R2 32 33 I RI VIDEO S3 (FAST) e START SW0 6 37 (SLOW) s4 8 SHORT 9 3G T INVENTOR CHARLES E, FA HMENTEH ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE roR-eiiEc fI-fiG cm'cm'rooN TI-NU-IT-Y AND IDENTIFYING WIRES Charles it. Parme'nter, Redwoodility, Calif. npsircatwn =8, 1 946 serial :No; 639381 "(Granted smi e "the act of Marrih s, 133 33; is amended Aprilso, 1928; 370 -0, 757) This invention relates to circuit testers; am more particularly to apparatus for checking -cir' cuit continuity and ideiitif's ing'"'teriiiinalsiii a multiple Wire came;

-A partiemar embodiment of the apirsarat sis here illustrated and describedjar'id a sure ted manner of usingit "tdtes't a cable on a "ship, particularly a cable feediiigl "a' "reirrcteradar iridicator, is here outlined. v I

Aboard ships, partioularly naval vessels, it iscustomary to install several different radio detection devices, known as radars. Each radar transmits and receives -radiant energy through its'own directional antenna, which is rotatable in azimuthin such a manner as to 'tr'a'in'the' radar beam in any desired-direction. Presentation of information detected by the r'adar'is generally done through one or severar'rorms of cathode ray Oscilloscopes, one form of which is known as'a Plan 'positioni'ndi'cator, or PPI; This indicator resents a radial 'cathoderayiieain which rotates in synchronisiii' with the r sar antenna and traces the received video "(visibiei signals on the scope; to outlinea'inap'of' the surrounding radar echoes. I a

In addition, a considerable "number or remote indicators, or remote rrrs, are positioned about" the vessel in"strategic' locations; All the electric'a'linformation"required'tdopei'ate the pram needed'to properly actuate the remote PPI. The

to''control the two synchrbs found commonly in r'emotePPIs. I I II I I II I I It is thus seen that eight synchro leads, a sync lead, a videciead, and a ground lead, to

' serve as return conductor for all "the rest, are

7 mote 'PPI was usually located some distance from 23 provide apparatus for checking c-ircui'tcontinuitychronizing, or sync, channel, whichfcbntrols the starting moment of each sweep of the radial PPI beam; and the several channels "carryirig' the signals required to actuate the renew-up,

or remote positioning, devices needed to produce correspondence between the radial PPI beam and the azimuthal direction of the radar "airtenna.

A common form of remote "positioning device used aboard naval vessels 'is the synchor, hating a rotor and a stator, the former requiring two leads for power, the latter; three. litinote "PPIs" often use two independent -"synchros"; although the two rotors may be *connected together, the two stators must have independent three-wire channels. Thus, a tcta l of eightwires is required the radar itself. This method-however, has certain inherent shortcomings, such as error -*due to induced '"crossetalk, and failure It is, therefore, an object of this invention to and identifying terminals in a multiple wire cable which overcomes the objections and shortcomings-"in apparatus and rnethods heretofore used.

"It is andtherobject of this invention to provide such apparatus which checks not only circuitcontinuity but which is also efiective to detect grounde'dwire's within the "cable, or wires which are short circii'ited, one to the other.

It is still another object or the invention to provide testing apparatus for the purpose 'de-- scribed abot'e'which may be properly and effectively utilized by inexpert and remivew un-' trained personner I I I fIt i's a further object or thisiriv'ention to'provi'd'e apparatus for indicating the mannerin which "wires within a mu iple-wire cable should be "connected to a terminal board, as well as I indicating the manner in which the wires are aotual'ly' oonnected to the terminal board.

It tion to provide rorsumssivnyenergizing =a pluralit'y or contact points "corresponding to the numbero'f wires the "cable to *be checked insuche manner that an operator may know whether or not the terminals to which the contacts-correspond'at theother endof the cable are" properly identified.

'In a'c'complishing these "and other "objects of the present invention, Ihave provided improved I I to detect grounded and shorted wires witl'iin the cable. I

ll further obj ect of the instant-"inven 3 details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic wiring diagram of the transmitting unit of the tester, which is adapted to be connected to one end of a multiple wire cable to be checked. For illustrative purposes, the connector on the end of the cable is shown in position to receive the corresponding connector on the transmitting unit.

Fig. 2 is a schematic wiring diagram of the receiving unit of the tester, which is adapted to be connected to the other .end of the cable. The connector on the other end of the cable is shown in position to receive the corresponding connector on the receiving unit.

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the external appearance of the transmitting unit of the tester.

The tester of this invention comprises two unitsa transmitting unit and a receiving unit. The transmitting unit contains a rotary, motordriven switch having a plurality of contact points to which electrical contact is made in succession by an energized rotating arm. Each contact is connected in series with an indicating means, forexample a light, also located in the transmitting unit; and with a similar indicating means located in the receiving unit. Between the two indicating means, and completing the series connection, is the multiple wire cable undergoing test. As the arm rotates, a flashing light in the transmitting unit reveals which terminal on the transmitting end of the cable is being energized, and the simultaneous flashing of a light in-the receiving unit reveals which terminal on the receiving end of the cable is receiving the voltage. In this manner, terminal identity may be established for the cable. Inasmuch as the transmitting end of the cable is always energized in a known sequence, the indicting means in the transmitting unit may be omitted if desired. In this case, the operator must remember more closely the sequence in which the lights flash in the receiving unit, in order to correct for faultily identified terminals.

In order to ascertain when a sweep of the arm is starting, a gap is provided in the even.

spacing of the contact points in the transmitting unit, and a start light is provided at the forefront of the sweep to show that a sweep is beginning.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. l, the transmitting unit is shown consisting of a rotary switch It! having three circular rows of contact points l2, l3, and I4. As shown, inner row 12 contains eight contact points designated s thru 2' inclusive; intermediate row |3 contains nine contact points designated 9" thru 1' inclusive and a tenth contact l5 at the beginning of the row; and outer row |4 contains nine contact points a thru i, positioned opposite the corresponding intermediate row contacts 7" thru i, respectively. It will be noted that a gap in the even spacing of the contacts has been provided between the last contacts i, r, z, in the rows and the start contact l5. This is to provide positive identification of the start wire at the receiving unit of the tester, to be described below. A conductive arm l6, rotated by a shaft designated schematically by dotted line H, makes contact in succession with each of the several contact points thru brushes 20, 2| and 22. Voltage from a transformer 23 is applied thru a conductor 24 and thru conventional slip rings, not shown, to the conductive arm l6. Thus, voltage is momentarily applied to each contact point once during each revolution of shaft H.

Shaft I! is rotated at selectively variable speed by a motor 25, which is powered by an adjustable auto transformer 26. Also driven by shaft I! are non-conductive star wheels 21 and 30, the former preferably containing six teeth, the latter, preferably twelve. Star Wheel 21, when rotated, repeatedly opens and closes a microswitch 3|; while star wheel 30 actuates a switch 32 in a similar manner, but with this arrangement at twice the repetition rate by virtue of the greater number of teeth in wheel 30. The primary winding of the adjustable auto transformer 26 is connected, thru a manually operable switch 33, to power carrying conductors 34, which also supply power for the primary winding of transformer 23. Line 34 is connected thru fuses 35 and 36 and thru a manually operable switch 31 to a conventional plug 38 adapted to be connected to a source of A. 0. power.

Also within the transmitting unit of the tester is a bank of indicating means, preferably in the form of small lights 40. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, lights 40 are arranged in a single plane in three circular rows 4|, 42, and 43 corresponding closely to the three rows of contact points l2, l3 and I4, respectively, as may be seen from the drawing, Fig. 1. Each contact point, a thru a is connected electrically to the correspondingly located light 40. One of these connections 44 has been shown joining contact a. on contact switch ID with point a on one of the lights 40. It is to be understood that there are, in this instance, twenty-six such electrical connections similar to 44, each connecting a contact point with one side of a corresponding light 40. That is, b on switch I0 is coimected to b on the bank of lights; 0 is connected to c, and so on thru 2' to z. Directly over the bank of lights 40 is positioned an opaque cover member 45 (Fig. 3), having identifying symbols cut therein, one over each of the lights 40.

Each of the lights 4|] in the two outer rows 42 and 43 has its other terminal, i. 'e., the terminal not connected to one of the contact points, connected to a corresponding terminal on a female connector 46 (Figs. 1 and 3). These connections are represented by an electrical connection 41, tying point a on the bank of lights 40 to point a on connector 46. It is to be understood that each of the other points b thru 1' is similarly connected. Separate female connectors 50 and 5| are used for the connections s thru 2, and A and B, respectively.

Micro-switches 3| and 32 have their points A and B connected to the similarly designated points on lights 52 and 53, respectively; and thence the circuit goes thru points A and B to the correspondingly marked terminals on connector 5|.

The circuits and components thus far described are located within the transmitting unit of the tester, appearing externally as illustrated in Fig. 3. Each of the connectors 43, 50, and 5| is adapted to receive a male connector, shown at 54, 55, and 56, respectively, attached to the end of cables 60, 6|, and 62, respectively. It is to be understood that the cables and connectors -54, 6 |55, and 62- 56 are not part of the apparatus constituting this invention, but are rather the multiple wire cables undergoing test by the apparatus of this invene tion? l iurt un erstqedthsta thqiish three ab es m y h simu ta e usly: ted 85 sh w at 6 BI. ndr- 6Z-., or. menvta ieetiene nl ne. r. o .cab ar itowhet sted; at a e: and the. operation of; this-apparatus will be. more mvdes D dvm fe ence 1 113: .1.919 of the cables;

Re r w F s-t; e e s. ho nt receiving. unit of the -,tester adapted to receive the ,other endof the; cable under test. There ave; b n l ustrat he he n oft-cable to which is. attached'connector 63.; the other. end ofable t hich s attac ed on e and the .otherend' of;cab 1e. 2,. to which is ate tached connector 65. Withinthe receiving unit are-three connectors 66;61, and.6 8,- identical to connectors 46, and. 5], respective1y,, .of. the t a sm ne ithe. ecei ine uni e 0; conein a a k. q i ts 1. rositi ned ike. the k h he. 1 m.emltti ie.1un t.1 an h n one sideoi eachllight connected to a corresponding terminal on one ofthe connectors. 66, 61 or- 68, .exactly in the mannerthat lights-4|] are connected toconnectors 46, 5ll, or 5i in the transmitting unit. Electrical connection 11 isrepresentative of these, connections. The other-side ofeachotthe lights lllisgrounded asshown at 12,

In this regard, itis'to beunderstoodthat the ground symbols as used in Figs. 1 and2 represent the ame f n tio a ymbo z by e several letters cethru 2,; etc. actual electrical. connection is required to'cornplete the circuit reps n ed by h round-, rmbo i and for h reason- -ground wires 'lt 'lfi and .11 must be; included. as oneoi thewiresdn each of the cables 60;; BI, and 62,v toserve-es return lead to the source ofvoltag transicrmer 23.,

Reviewing the. abovedescription, it will be seen that when contact ismadentot-one of the contactpoints for example, contact a on switch in; a circuit is. completed from transformer 23, toarin l6, tocontact pointrt? thru-light .ai -.-a* of thegroup of lights .40, toterminal aon .the transmitting unit connector. 16, and thence .to the 'opposingwire within. the. cable 60. under. test. liromLthere the circuitfollows; thruthe cable 60, to. the. terminal of the receiving unit connector 66, to one .of the lights .1 il -in. the. receiving: unit andthence it. returns to. transformer. 2,3.thru the ground. return wire, 15c circuit.analysisv applies, to each otthe contact points,.a'- thru z, and each micro-switch lineni-andfifl. Itwill be seen that the two lights;beingenergized, 40 and 70, are connected in series, so thatboththe trans-. mitting unit and the receiving unit must be in use-.in. order. to permit, operation. of any; of. the transmitting unit] lights 40.

, Inorder toknow when.,conductive-arn1 I6 is starting. on a. sweep .it is. desirable tov have a star-t? lightlflfi. within the. transmitting unit, connected tocontact. noint..l5,, which is the first. one...touched.,by arm, [Bias it. starts. a. sweep.

For certain purposes it. is advantageous. to use the transmitting unit,w ithout.the receivingnnit; and for. such. use. it is. necessary ithat. start light 13 inthetransmitting.unitbe iii-parallel, and not series, with. starti light. [4 of thereceivingunit- Thisis evidentinthe.wiringillustratedh wherein- .starl'fi light. 1311sreturned directly to ground at 15, insteadof. beingreturne'dto -ground thru the other star t" light 14;].

An exemplary operation of the circiiitjtesten. in c nn t on-Wi ams ch ckin o a, cabi ieede inst si nal ea r mo s ffil r ferred; o ereirie beiore, is as follows; V

. The mot RBI .is-fir on ct 'i a hereda thru the cables 6| andpliZv c blef 6lu carries nchroin o mationto-t e. E an a ta nsi w wires o the, tor R a d; R2,. Fiat; nd:

tester. Power: isappliedtothe transmitting-unit nc d ngmotor 5.. Arm. l e-rotates, .c ntactine each; otthe contactpoints in. succession; Normally; only start light 13 fiashesrnomentarily. with each revolution of arm 16.- However, should one, of thecable Wires be grounded; light lflicorree pending to the'grounded wire also'fiashes.:-as contact arm, l6 passesthe corresponding. contact point. The operatonmay then examine=thatwire to detectthe short.

When the cable has; been proved tobe freegiofi shorts to ground, an operator at. the-receiving end of the cable plugs male connectorsfikand 65.into female connectors 6;! and 68;respectively 'onithe receivingunit or the tester... It the Wiresz'have been connected properly, thewindicating; symbols on; the panel, of the receiving unit (identicala ppearance to panel lii oi thev transmittereunitz Fig..- 3) light up in proper sequence; Thatzis; start ashes follow promptly: and: in succes-asion by RI, R2, SI; S2,;S3, S4, S5; and" S5. A periodpfquiescenceresultingfrom the abnormal spacing, in the rotary switch lllpbetween contact point a andcontactpointl5; thenfollows: This positively identifies. thestart lightasbeingfcor rectly connected. The sequence is thenzrepeateds If the wires are improperly connected;lthe symbols on the receiving: unitpanel light up-Ein; improper sequence. In this event,the.-operator-has.

merely to notewhere each lead should: go, and

after correction at the: termina1...boardi on the receiVin-gend of thecable, the=lights.appear.-.in proper; sequence.

In the. meantime; cable .62 continuallycantie's signals for the. video and sync lights. 1 The formen flashes rapidity-by virtueof the operationofistar. wheel 30; while the-latter flashes more slowlmhv virtue of-the operation; of star wheel: 2;1." The distinctive nature of these :flashes 'POSifiVGlY1idGH-L tifies these terminals: without the action of zthe start? signal associated with rotary: switch 10; ofwhich they are; independent.-

In the meantime, the symbols on the-transmiie; ting unit continue to light in'the. proper sequence, because the connections on this end arefixed. correctly in orderto .showthe propenidentiflcation; Whileitis thus seen. thatthelightsvon thea transmitting'unit are not-essentialto theopera tion of the tester, they doserve-aeusefulfunction whenit is desired tostop arm;lB-omaparticular contact point to make a slower more detailed investigationmof the connections. Furthermore; as irnentioned above theitransmitting; unitrlightsf 40 are required in the detectioneof shortstoground before connection of the receivinghniteto the cab-le under test The. .fault of 'a short circuit between twoi of;

the wiresin thecahle is distinctively indicated lnr.

the simultaneous lighting, in the receiving unit 7 only, of both of the lights concerned. When this occurs, the operator need investigate only those wires corresponding to the symbols which lighted simultaneously during test.

In review it will be noted that the transmitting unit, in eifect, presents a picture of how the terminals on the receiving end of the cable should be connected; while the receiving unit presents a picture of how they actually are connected. From this information the operator or operators may quickly correct any mis-matching of terminals and positively identify the wires within the cable.

It will be noted that the start wire S, within the cable, is connected directly to the source of voltage, Without any intervening indicating light 40. This results from the parallel connection of the two start lights in contrast to the series connection between the remainder of the lights 40 and 10. In practice, it was found that accidental grounding of the start wire caused repeated fuse burn-outs. To obviate this, a low resistance light 80 is incorporated in series with contact point I5. In normal use, light 80 flashes dimly with each flash of the start light-s f3 and 74. Should the start wire be grounded, however, light 80 flashes much more brightly, indicating to the operator that an accidental ground has occurred on the start wire.

Connectors 46-65 of the tester are particularly suited for the testing of a paired-wire cable, for example, a cable containing pairs of telephone wires. The arrangement of lights 40 is such that the two wires of the several pairs may be expeditiously checked simultaneously. Reference to Fig. 3 shows that the numbers in the two outer circles are paired along radial lines. Hence, it 'will be readily seen that in operation, when the terminals are connected correctly the two symbols 1 flash simultaneously, followed in succes- 'sion by the two 2s, then the 3s, etc. In this manner the operation of checking a paired-wire cable is halved in time.

If desired, the indicators 40-40, instead of being in the form of lights, may be in the form of sounders, such as buzzers. Each indicator may then be given a distinctive sound, or tonal pitch, so that the units may be used without requiring constant visual attention of the operator.

From the above description, it will be seen that there has been disclosed apparatus for testing circuit continuity and identifying terminals in a multiple wire cable, which gives positive identification of each wire, and avoids many of the shortcomings of present methods and apparatus. This device is extremely simple to use and may be placed in the hands of relatively untrained and poorly educated operators, with assurance that satisfactory and correct results may be obtained from its use.

While I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, it is susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited by the disclosures set forth, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

: I claim:

1. Apparatus for testing and identifying wires in a multiwire cable, the ends of which are remotely spaced from the other, comprising a transmitter and a receiver; said transmitter including a movable conductive arm; a star wheel; a shaft for-supporting said arm and said star wheel; motor means for driving said shaft; a source of voltage; a first indicating means, a switch actuated by said star wheel, means connecting said indicating means and said switch in series with said source of voltage; a plurality of contact points engageable by said arm; conductors leading from each of said points respectively, to each of a plurality of indicating means; conductors leading from each of said indicating means, respectively, to each individual terminal of a multiple electrical connector adapted to receive one end of the multi-wire cable to be checked by engagement with each wire thereof; and said receiver including a multiple electrical connector for engagement with the other ends of each of said wires; conductors leading from each terminal of said second connector to a respective one of a plurality of indicating means; conductors leading from each of said second indicating means to a common terminal communicating with said source of voltage; engagement of the respective ends of said cable wires with said electrical connectors completing a circuit whereby each of the second plurality of indicating means is in series with a respective one of the second plurality of indicating means and with a respective one of said contact points.

2. Apparatus for testing and identifying wires in a multi-wire cable, the ends of which are remotely spaced from each other, comprising a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter comprising a rotary switch including a rotary arm and a plurality of circumferentlally arranged contacts, a like plurality of indicating means, a first multiple electrical connector having a like plurality of terminals, means connecting in series corresponding contacts, indicating means and terminals, a source of electrical energy connected between said rotary arm and a point at ground potential, motor means for rotating said rotary arm whereby an electrical series connection is successively made from said source of energy to each of the aforesaid series connections; a second plurality of indicating means, a second multiple electrical connector having alike plurality of terminals, a like plurality of switches, means connecting corresponding indicating means, switches and terminals in series with said source of electrical energy, a like plurality of star wheels for actuating corresponding switches, and motor means for rotating said star wheels; said receiver comprising a first plurality of indicating means corresponding to the plurality of indicating means that are connected to said rotary switch, a first multiple electrical connector having a like plurality of terminals, means electrically connecting one each of said indicating means between a corresponding terminal of said connector and a point at ground potential; a second plurality of indicating means corresponding to the second plurality of indicating means that are connected to the star-wheel-operated switches in said transmitter, a second multiple electrical connector having a like plurality of terminals, and means electrically connecting one each of said indicating means between a corresponding terminal of said connector and a point at ground potential whereby, when a first multiple cable to be tested is connected between the first multiple connector of said transmitter and the first multiple connector of said receiver, a.series circuit is successively made between corresponding indicating means of said transmitter and receiver by rotation of said rotary arm, and when .a second cable to be tested is connected between the second connector of said transmitter and the second connector of said receiver a series circuit is successively made between corresponding indicating means of said transmitter and receiver at a rate that is a function of the rate of actuation of the star-wheeloperated switch by the star wheel corresponding to each series circuit.

CHARLES R. PARMEN'IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Douglass Apr. 8, 1890 Norden June 28, 1898 Eastman et al Sept. 29, 1903 Burnham Mar. 4, 1913 Beach et a1. Mar. 10, 1914 Field June 10, 1924 Jones Dec. 10, 1929 Swartwout Oct. 23, 1934 

